https://www.scmp.com/rss/329086/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Stephy Zhang Stephy Zhang Despite the absence of snow and ice, former world No 4 ice climber Janet Kung Tsz-shan holds high hopes for the technical sport in Hong Kong and wants to see it debut at the 2030 Winter Olympics. Living in a subtropical city where November temperatures can reach 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) and snow has not fallen in 50 years, Kung’s rise up the rankings remains an anomaly. In order to showcase the sport locally, and as one of ice climbing’s disciplines does not require ice, Kung has... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3348520/hong-kong-ice-climber-aiming-raise-awareness-technical-sport-subtropical-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3348520/hong-kong-ice-climber-aiming-raise-awareness-technical-sport-subtropical-city?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 09:30:07 +0000 Reuters Reuters An Austrian court late on Thursday found a 37-year-old amateur mountaineer guilty of manslaughter over his girlfriend’s death of cold near Austria’s highest summit after he left her to fetch help when she could not go on. The case ‌is unusual because while climbing accidents are common, prosecutions over them were rare, even in situations like this one where a series of mistakes were made. The court in the western city of Innsbruck handed the Austrian man a five-month suspended prison sentence... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344054/climber-convicted-manslaughter-after-girlfriend-freezes-death-austrian-mountain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344054/climber-convicted-manslaughter-after-girlfriend-freezes-death-austrian-mountain?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 23:07:50 +0000 Reuters Reuters In front of a live audience, rock climber Alex Honnold completed the first ropeless ascent of Taipei 101, Taiwan’s tallest skyscraper. One wrong move would have almost certainly resulted in grave injury or death. But for Honnold, whose decades-long career includes scaling some of the world’s tallest heights – including his ropeless ascent of Yosemite’s El Capitan in the Oscar-winning film Free Solo – it was just another climb. Speaking from Los Angeles a week after the release of Netflix’s... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3343131/why-taipei-101-climber-alex-honnold-loves-free-soloing-buildings-and-what-hes-eyeing-next?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3343131/why-taipei-101-climber-alex-honnold-loves-free-soloing-buildings-and-what-hes-eyeing-next?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 10:15:08 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Alex Honnold said he hoped to inspire people to use their time meaningfully after completing a free solo climb of Taipei 101 on Sunday. American climber Honnold conquered the 508-metre (1,667-foot) tower without ropes, harnesses, safety gear or parachute in one hour, 31 minutes and 36 seconds to complete the tallest urban free solo climb in history. “I’m so psyched,” he said after climbing the 11th-tallest building in the world. “[I’m] pretty tired actually. The whole top of the building is... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3341157/us-climber-hopes-ascent-taipei-101-inspires-others-use-time-most-meaningful-way?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3341157/us-climber-hopes-ascent-taipei-101-inspires-others-use-time-most-meaningful-way?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 10:00:13 +0000 Bibek Bhandari Bibek Bhandari For years, Nepal’s government has faced pressure to reduce rubbish in the Himalayas, where decades of commercial mountaineering have left large amounts of discarded gear, human waste and other debris on some of the world’s tallest peaks. Last week, the authorities in Kathmandu finally took firm action. They approved a landmark five-year plan to clean up Nepal’s mountains, seeking to curb waste through stricter monitoring and limiting the number of climbers on Mount Everest, the world’s highest... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3337378/nepal-clean-mount-everests-waste-limiting-climbers-flying-more-drones?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3337378/nepal-clean-mount-everests-waste-limiting-climbers-flying-more-drones?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Dec 2025 04:30:07 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Kanchha Sherpa, the only surviving member of the mountaineering expedition team that first conquered Mount Everest, died early Thursday, according to the Nepal Mountaineering Association. The association’s president, Phur Gelje Sherpa, confirmed that Kanchha died at age 92 at his home in Kathmandu. “He passed away peacefully at his residence,” Phur Gelje Sherpa said, adding that he had been unwell for some time. “A chapter of mountaineering history has vanished with him.” Last rites will be held... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3329274/kanchha-sherpa-last-link-everests-first-summit-dies-92-history-vanished-him?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3329274/kanchha-sherpa-last-link-everests-first-summit-dies-92-history-vanished-him?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Oct 2025 11:48:49 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang Hundreds of trekkers have reached safety after being stranded near the eastern slope of Mount Everest by heavy snowfalls, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. CCTV reported on Tuesday night that 580 trekkers and more than 300 local guides and yak porters had “safely reached” a relocation point in Qudang in the Tibet autonomous region, and arrangements were being made for them to return home. A further dozen hikers, helped by rescue personnel sent from Tingri county, had reached a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3328202/800-more-trekkers-guides-and-porters-rescued-after-being-stranded-everest-blizzard?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3328202/800-more-trekkers-guides-and-porters-rescued-after-being-stranded-everest-blizzard?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Oct 2025 05:31:50 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Kokichi Akuzawa almost gave up during his trek to become the oldest person to summit Mount Fuji at age 102, an achievement recognised by Guinness World Records after he reached the top in early August. “I was really tempted to give up halfway through,” Akuzawa says. “Reaching the summit was tough, but my friends encouraged me, and it turned out well. I managed to get through it because so many people supported me.” Akuzawa climbed with his 70-year-old daughter Motoe, his granddaughter, her... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3324730/102-year-old-becomes-oldest-person-climb-mount-fuji-sets-new-guinness-world-record?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3324730/102-year-old-becomes-oldest-person-climb-mount-fuji-sets-new-guinness-world-record?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Sep 2025 09:15:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A hiker attacked by a wild brown bear was found dead in northern Japan on Friday, officials said, a day after the bloody encounter that reportedly saw him dragged into a forest. The hiker in his 20s tried to fight off the large animal but was pulled into the nearby woods with his legs bleeding profusely, local media outlets including the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper said. The man was attacked while walking a trail on Mount Rausu on the northern island of Hokkaido on Thursday morning, a local police... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3322006/hiker-japan-found-dead-after-bear-attack-forest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3322006/hiker-japan-found-dead-after-bear-attack-forest?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Aug 2025 08:55:31 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press German biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier has died on a mountain in northern Pakistan after a climbing accident at a remote site that rescuers struggled to reach because of bad weather, a local government spokesman said on Wednesday. Dahlmeier, an Olympic gold medallist, was ascending Laila Peak in the Karakoram mountain range on Monday when she was struck by falling rocks while climbing with a partner who survived. Rescuers were able to confirm Dahlmeier’s death on Wednesday but could not... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3320206/german-biathlete-confirmed-dead-pakistan-climbing-accident?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3320206/german-biathlete-confirmed-dead-pakistan-climbing-accident?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Jul 2025 01:26:20 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Two Americans have had to be rescued from Japan’s Mount Fuji in separate incidents before the official climbing season began on Thursday, prompting renewed calls for tougher penalties on rule-breaking hikers who endanger themselves and drain local resources. The deployment of Shizuoka prefecture’s mountain rescue teams twice in two days to rescue the pair has again triggered criticism of people who insist on trying to ascend the 3,776-metre peak outside the season without adequate preparation... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3317690/2-americans-rescued-japans-mount-fuji-prompt-more-calls-tougher-rules?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3317690/2-americans-rescued-japans-mount-fuji-prompt-more-calls-tougher-rules?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Jul 2025 02:00:08 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Nine-year-old Hong Kong climbing phenomenon Veronica Chik has chalked up another notable record after conquering a sheer 50-metre route in Spain. Chik, who began climbing outdoors only last year to overcome a fear of heights, was already the youngest Hongkonger to navigate the 31-metre “China Climb”, in Yangshuo. She was also the youngest in China to successfully tackle the 50-metre outdoor “rock of life” bouldering route in Jinshan. Now she is on top of the world, after becoming the youngest... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3317649/watch-hong-kong-climbing-phenomenon-veronica-chik-9-sets-world-record?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3317649/watch-hong-kong-climbing-phenomenon-veronica-chik-9-sets-world-record?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Jul 2025 05:31:46 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Human waste, empty oxygen cylinders, kitchen leftovers and discarded ladders. Sherpas working on Mount Everest carry all that and more – 20 kilograms (44 pounds) per person – navigating a four-hour hike that traverses crumbling glacial ice and treacherous crevasses to bring trash back to base camp. During the most recent climbing season, they had new help from two giant SZ DJI Technology Co. drones, which can complete the same journey in six minutes, sharing the task of clearing an expanding... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3317091/nepal-uses-drones-clean-mount-everests-trash-covered-slopes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3317091/nepal-uses-drones-clean-mount-everests-trash-covered-slopes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Jul 2025 10:31:26 +0000 Tara Loader Wilkinson Tara Loader Wilkinson Veteran mountaineer Petra Thaller does not easily accept defeat – especially from cancer. In 2014, the German mother-of-two, then aged 53, was hiking the Carstensz Pyramid – also known as Puncak Jaya – which at 4,884 metres (16,024 feet) is Indonesia’s highest peak. She found it odd that she felt so tired on the climb. At one point, while crossing a river, she hurt her breast, which immediately swelled up and felt tender and sore. On her return to Germany, her doctor found five malignant tumours... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3316766/how-exercise-helps-cancer-survivors-stay-alive-and-thrive-and-1-way-boost-vo2-max?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3316766/how-exercise-helps-cancer-survivors-stay-alive-and-thrive-and-1-way-boost-vo2-max?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Jul 2025 00:15:09 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk The death of a Brazilian woman who fell while climbing a volcano in Indonesia has renewed scrutiny of safety standards at the country’s adventure tourism hotspots, amid a string of recent accidents involving foreign visitors. Juliana Marins, 26, fell some 600 metres (1,968 feet) while attempting to summit Mount Rinjani, a volcano on Lombok island, on Saturday. Her body was only recovered four days later after rescue efforts were hampered by dense fog, steep cliffs and unstable terrain. The... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3315976/mount-rinjani-tragedy-puts-spotlight-indonesias-adventure-tourism-safety?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3315976/mount-rinjani-tragedy-puts-spotlight-indonesias-adventure-tourism-safety?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Jun 2025 12:40:31 +0000 Tim Pile Tim Pile Wingsuit flying Sometimes described as the closest humans come to true flight, Wingsuit flying is not for the faint-hearted, and to enrol in a training course a novice must already be an accomplished skydiver. Wearing fabric wings stretched between their arms and legs, these thrill-seekers steer with subtle shifts in body position like dive-bombing flying squirrels. One of the most dramatic locations in which the activity takes place is Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park, in Zhangjiajie,... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3314795/wingsuit-flying-kitesurfing-and-other-daring-adventures-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3314795/wingsuit-flying-kitesurfing-and-other-daring-adventures-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Jun 2025 12:00:08 +0000 Cameron Dueck Cameron Dueck I squint into the fog, my eyes streaming in the cold wind that whips over the mountain. Did that rock just move? I give the bell hanging from my backpack a shake, wipe the tears from my eyes and look again at the dark shape 50 metres away. Jingle jingle. Nothing stirs; indeed, it is a rock and not a bear. We continue up the mountainside while keeping an eye out for movement. My partner and I are in the middle of a multi-day, 50km summer trek through Daisetsuzan National Park, in the mountainous... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3312297/hike-through-stormy-daisetsuzan-hokkaido-japans-largest-national-park?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3312297/hike-through-stormy-daisetsuzan-hokkaido-japans-largest-national-park?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Jun 2025 03:00:09 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer Raj Gurung joined an elite group of Hong Kong residents this month, after successfully reaching the top of Mount Everest. Despite only taking up climbing three years ago, the 53-year-old bar owner summited the world’s highest mountain on May 18. Gurung’s journey took two attempts spanning nine days, and forced him to pass six dead climbers, sometimes having to stand on their hair, during a “traffic jam” near the summit. “I’ve been preparing for the last three years,” Gurung said. “During that... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3312077/hong-kong-bar-owner-who-climbed-over-six-dead-reach-top-mount-everest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3312077/hong-kong-bar-owner-who-climbed-over-six-dead-reach-top-mount-everest?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 May 2025 05:00:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Six people died in Switzerland over the weekend in accidents in the Alps, officials said Sunday. Near the luxury resort of Zermatt, rescuers found the bodies of five people, police said in a statement. A helicopter was sent to survey the area around the Rimpfischhorn mountain after climbers alerted authorities after spotting abandoned skis near the summit on Saturday. “The bodies of five people were quickly found,” Swiss police said in a statement. Authorities have opened an investigation into... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3311752/6-die-weekend-mountain-accidents-swiss-alps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3311752/6-die-weekend-mountain-accidents-swiss-alps?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 May 2025 17:55:57 +0000 Reuters Reuters Four British climbers became the first to scale Mount Everest on Wednesday using Xenon gas, which helped them save several weeks that mountaineers need to get used to high altitudes, an official of their expedition organising company said. Normally, climbers spend several weeks or even months on the mountain to allow their bodies to adjust to higher altitudes before trying to reach the summit of the world’s highest mountain. It is extremely dangerous to go up if the climber is not properly... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3311263/british-climbers-conquer-mount-everest-record-time-using-xenon-gas-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3311263/british-climbers-conquer-mount-everest-record-time-using-xenon-gas-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 May 2025 11:53:42 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Officials in Japan are calling for new rules to charge climbers who require rescue from Mount Fuji outside the official climbing season, as concerns rise over high emergency service costs and the safety of personnel deployed to deal with such incidents. The mayors of Fujiyoshida and Fujinomiya, along with the governor of Shizuoka prefecture, are urging the national government to amend legislation so that local authorities can impose such rescue fees during the off-season, which falls outside a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3310663/japanese-officials-want-selfish-mount-fuji-climbers-pay-season-rescue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3310663/japanese-officials-want-selfish-mount-fuji-climbers-pay-season-rescue?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 May 2025 01:30:13 +0000 Reuters Reuters Nepal will issue Everest permits only to climbers with experience of scaling at least one of the Himalayan nation’s 7,000-metre (22,965ft) peaks, according to the draft of a new law aimed at reducing overcrowding and improving safety. Nepal, which is heavily reliant on climbing, trekking and tourism for foreign exchange, has faced criticism for permitting too many climbers, including inexperienced ones, to try to ascend the 8,849-metre (29,032ft) peak. This often results in long queues of... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3308309/nepal-demand-experience-everest-climbers-new-safety-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3308309/nepal-demand-experience-everest-climbers-new-safety-push?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Apr 2025 04:22:34 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A Chinese university student who was rescued from Japan’s iconic Mount Fuji twice within four days has become the target of online ridicule and anger. The unnamed 27-year-old man, who lives in Japan, was initially helped off Mount Fuji on April 22 after he became nauseous, apparently feeling the effects of altitude sickness, near the summit of the 3,776-metre mountain. The man had also lost his crampons – necessary on the ice-covered higher levels at Mount Fuji – other climbing equipment, and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3308199/mans-second-time-rescue-japans-mount-fuji-after-bid-retrieve-phone-sparks-anger?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3308199/mans-second-time-rescue-japans-mount-fuji-after-bid-retrieve-phone-sparks-anger?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Apr 2025 08:37:53 +0000 One of the greatest mountain guides will attempt to scale the world’s highest peak for the 31st time – and possibly the 32nd time as well – and break his own record. Kami Rita, 55, flew to Mount Everest on Sunday from Kathmandu to lead a group of climbers who will try to reach the 8,849-metre (29,032-foot) summit during the spring climbing season. “I am mentally, emotionally and physically prepared to climb the mountain,” Kami Rita said at Kathmandu’s airport. “I am in my top physical condition... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3307214/famed-sherpa-kami-rita-attempt-31st-mount-everest-climb-break-own-record?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3307214/famed-sherpa-kami-rita-attempt-31st-mount-everest-climb-break-own-record?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Apr 2025 08:25:52 +0000 Tour operators leading treks to Mount Kinabalu in Malaysia have suggested low-risk “adventure” packages for older tourists, rather than imposing an age limit on those seeking to conquer the famed 4,095-metre (13,435ft) peak, following the death of a British national in his 70s. Sabah Tourism Minister Christina Liew on Monday said authorities were contemplating an age restriction for hikers after a spate of deaths over the past eight months, including the unnamed British national, who died after... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3301115/after-tourist-death-malaysias-mount-kinabalu-guides-urge-senior-friendly-tours?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3301115/after-tourist-death-malaysias-mount-kinabalu-guides-urge-senior-friendly-tours?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Mar 2025 05:07:24 +0000 The nine-year-old Hongkonger making waves in the climbing community has been at it again, setting a record for becoming the youngest in China to complete a particularly challenging route. Veronica Chik successfully tackled a 50-metre long outdoor bouldering route known as the “rock of life” in Jinshan, Long Village, Yangshuo, bouncing back after repeatedly failing to conquer the climb over the course of several hours. The youngster previously claimed top honours in the boulder-and-lead combined... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/article/3300149/veronica-chiks-latest-climbing-record-takes-9-year-old-hongkonger-top-heap-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/article/3300149/veronica-chiks-latest-climbing-record-takes-9-year-old-hongkonger-top-heap-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Feb 2025 03:43:54 +0000 Nepal’s airlines have halted helicopter flights to the Everest region after locals angry at the environmental impact and loss of income from trekkers threatened landing sites, aviation officials said. Helicopters are a key means of transport and crucial for emergency rescue in many of Nepal’s remote regions, often inaccessible by road. But they have also been increasingly used to airlift mountaineering teams and tourists over the challenging terrains in the Sagarmatha National Park, home to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3293670/planning-helicopter-tour-everest-nepal-has-some-bad-news-you?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3293670/planning-helicopter-tour-everest-nepal-has-some-bad-news-you?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Jan 2025 01:36:12 +0000 In December 2023, Emma Demopoulos, then aged just 12, became the youngest person from Hong Kong to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa’s highest peak. At 5,895 metres (19,341 feet), Kilimanjaro is considered an extreme altitude mountain trek. Emma completed the climb with her father in eight days: six days up, and two days down. While those tackling the world’s highest free-standing mountain do not require technical climbing skills, they do need a healthy average fitness level to reach... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3291197/she-climbed-mt-kilimanjaro-aged-12-now-hong-kong-teens-giving-back-tanzanian-students?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3291197/she-climbed-mt-kilimanjaro-aged-12-now-hong-kong-teens-giving-back-tanzanian-students?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Dec 2024 23:45:07 +0000 Japan has scrapped plans to build a light railway partway up Mount Fuji and is instead considering a Chinese-made cross between a bus and a tram, a local governor said on Monday. Authorities are now considering a hydrogen-powered transport system developed by China’s state-owned railway company CRRC, as well as alternatives from Japanese firms. The Chinese Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART) resembles a tram with its different sections but has more in common with a bus, running on rubber tyres... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3287082/japan-eyes-chinese-tram-mount-fuji-environmental-concerns-derail-original-trolley-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3287082/japan-eyes-chinese-tram-mount-fuji-environmental-concerns-derail-original-trolley-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Nov 2024 11:19:07 +0000 A Sherpa teenager who has won mountaineering celebrity as the youngest person ever to reach the summits of the world’s 14 highest peaks called for Sherpas to be recognised as athletes and expedition leaders as well as porters and guides. “It’s always been that Sherpas were supporting climbers and we’re never seen as leaders of expeditions,” Nima Rinji Sherpa said on Friday. The 18-year-old is planning more, tougher climbs after completing a mission to scale all 14 mountains that rise above 8,000... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3283911/record-setting-teen-climber-says-sherpas-should-be-seen-team-leaders-not-just-guides?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3283911/record-setting-teen-climber-says-sherpas-should-be-seen-team-leaders-not-just-guides?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Oct 2024 02:00:14 +0000 A Sherpa teenager who became the youngest person to scale all the world’s 14 highest peaks returned home to Nepal on Monday to a hero’s welcome. Nima Rinji Sherpa, 18, reached the 8,027-metre (26,335 feet) summit of Mount Shishapangma in Tibet last week, completing his mission to climb the world’s peaks that are more than 8,000 metres high. He broke a previous record by another Sherpa, who was 30 years old at the time. Nepal’s Tourism Minister Badri Prasad Pandey, along with members of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3282311/nepal-record-setting-teen-climber-nima-rinji-returns-home-heros-welcome?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3282311/nepal-record-setting-teen-climber-nima-rinji-returns-home-heros-welcome?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Oct 2024 10:02:10 +0000 Climbers believe they have found the partial remains of a British mountaineer who might – or might not – have been one of the first two people to climb Mount Everest, a century after their attempt on the world’s highest peak, according to an expedition led by National Geographic. Ahead of the release of a documentary film, the television channel said on Friday that the expedition found a foot encased in a sock embroidered with “AC Irvine” and a boot that could be that of Andrew “Sandy” Irvine,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3282083/uk-everest-explorers-remains-believed-found-100-years-after-disappearance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3282083/uk-everest-explorers-remains-believed-found-100-years-after-disappearance?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Oct 2024 17:00:03 +0000 An 18-year-old Nepali mountaineer on Wednesday broke the record for the youngest person to summit all 14 of the world’s 8,000-metre peaks, his team said. Nima Rinji Sherpa reached the summit of Tibet’s 8,027-metre-high (26,335 feet) Shisha Pangma on Wednesday morning, completing his mission to stand on the world’s highest peaks. “He reached the summit this morning. He had trained well and I was confident he would do it,” said his father Tashi Sherpa. Summiting all 14 “eight-thousanders” is... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3281657/just-18-hes-already-climbed-all-highest-peaks-earth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3281657/just-18-hes-already-climbed-all-highest-peaks-earth?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Oct 2024 05:51:45 +0000 A controversial proposal to build a rail link and luxury resort hotel on Japan’s iconic Mount Fuji has ignited debates over environmental preservation and tourism management. The Yamanashi prefectural government unveiled plans late last month to enhance access to the 3,776-metre (12,388-foot) peak, projecting that the rail link to the so-called Fifth Station – located about halfway up the mountain – could generate around 1.56 trillion yen (US$10.5 billion) in revenue over the next four... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3281374/luxury-hotel-railway-plan-japans-mount-fuji-triggers-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3281374/luxury-hotel-railway-plan-japans-mount-fuji-triggers-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Oct 2024 04:00:13 +0000 A nine-year-old Hongkonger has overcome a fear of heights to complete an astonishing record-breaking ascent of one of China’s most formidable climbs. Veronica Chik raced up the 31-metre “China Climb” in Yangshuo in five minutes and 50 seconds. She is the youngest Hong Kong climber to navigate the route, which has a grading of 5.14a, making it among the toughest in the sport. European nations have claimed half of the 18 Olympic medals available since Sport Climbing was introduced at the Tokyo... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3280176/hong-kong-9-year-old-completes-record-breaking-china-climb-after-beating-fear-heights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3280176/hong-kong-9-year-old-completes-record-breaking-china-climb-after-beating-fear-heights?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Sep 2024 05:35:29 +0000 At just 18-years-old, Nima Rinji Sherpa has already scaled 13 of the world’s highest peaks. Now, he’s just one summit away from becoming the youngest person to conquer all 14 mountains above 8,000 metres (26,247 ft). https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3277519/nepali-teen-staring-down-worlds-tallest-peaks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3277519/nepali-teen-staring-down-worlds-tallest-peaks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Sep 2024 10:15:15 +0000 The number of fatalities on Mount Fuji this climbing season has risen, with local authorities warning that inexperience, bad weather and altitude sickness continue to claim lives on Japan’s most famous mountain. Officials said all six who have died so far this year were Japanese nationals, with five apparently succumbing to the effects of altitude sickness, made worse by bad weather close to the 3,776-metre summit. The other fatality was a man who died in a fall. “Many of the people who climb... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3275222/japans-mount-fuji-claims-more-lives-climbing-season-dont-underestimate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3275222/japans-mount-fuji-claims-more-lives-climbing-season-dont-underestimate?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Aug 2024 04:00:14 +0000 This week marked the start of the Olympic climbing events. After making its debut in Tokyo, this urban sport became more popular across the world, especially among the young. This year, the number of gold medals in climbing has doubled from Tokyo, as it has been split into two separate events: speed climbing, and bouldering and lead combined. In the newly constructed Le Bourget Climbing venue, three outdoor walls in light blue and pink will wait for 68 climbers. Here’s what you need to know to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/explainers/article/3273395/paris-olympics-speed-bouldering-and-lead-what-you-need-know-about-climbing-events?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/explainers/article/3273395/paris-olympics-speed-bouldering-and-lead-what-you-need-know-about-climbing-events?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Aug 2024 08:07:06 +0000 Never trust a skinny chef? You can disregard that adage in the case of Richard Ekkebus. Standing 1.82 metres (6 feet) tall and weighing less than 80kg (176lb), the culinary director of the Landmark Mandarin Oriental hotel in Hong Kong, known for the award-winning fine-dining fare at its two-Michelin-star restaurant Amber, is definitely thin. The chef works hard to maintain a lean physique, running 120 kilometres (75 miles) a week with up to 20kg on his back as part of a rigorous training... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3272569/hong-kong-chef-richard-ekkebus-going-mountains-keep-his-weight-down?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3272569/hong-kong-chef-richard-ekkebus-going-mountains-keep-his-weight-down?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Jul 2024 23:15:09 +0000 Indonesian speed climber Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi starts training at 8am every day in hopes of winning gold for the country at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Speed climbing was first included as an Olympic event during the Tokyo Games in 2021 as part of the climbing competition. In Paris, it will be featured as a separate event. Indonesia has won only eight Olympic gold medals, all in badminton. https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/article/3272295/paris-olympics-indonesian-athletes-race-speed-climbing-gold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/article/3272295/paris-olympics-indonesian-athletes-race-speed-climbing-gold?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Jul 2024 08:00:16 +0000 The highest camp on the world’s tallest mountain is littered with garbage that is going to take years to clean up, according to a Sherpa who led a team that worked to clear trash and dig up dead bodies frozen for years near Mount Everest’s peak. The Nepal government-funded team of soldiers and Sherpas removed 11 tonnes of garbage, four dead bodies and a skeleton from Everest during this year’s climbing season. Ang Babu Sherpa, who led the team of Sherpas, said there could be as much as 40-50... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3269495/clearing-mount-everests-highest-camp-frozen-garbage-take-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3269495/clearing-mount-everests-highest-camp-frozen-garbage-take-years?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Jul 2024 08:05:36 +0000 Exhaustion gave way to elation for Hong Kong residents Jaya Kumra, Seshu Krishna Anne and Hozefa Topiwalla after six days of gruelling uphill trekking. The friends took in the spectacular views from Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa at 5,895 metres (19,341 feet) above sea level, as the realisation of their accomplishment began to sink in: they had summited Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. It is the world’s highest free-standing mountain and known as the roof of Africa. It is also the most... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3266418/how-climbing-mount-kilimanjaro-brought-4-hong-kong-friends-closer-together?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3266418/how-climbing-mount-kilimanjaro-brought-4-hong-kong-friends-closer-together?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Jun 2024 23:15:08 +0000 An Indian climber rescued from Everest has died in hospital, a Nepali tourism official said on Tuesday, taking the number of fatalities this season on the world’s highest mountain to eight. Banshi Lal, 46, was plucked from the mountain last week and taken to a hospital in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu. “He died at the hospital yesterday,” Rakesh Gurung of the tourism department said. Three people – a British climber and two Nepali guides – among the eight are listed as missing but presumed dead. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3264434/indian-climber-dies-after-everest-bid-eighth-death-season?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3264434/indian-climber-dies-after-everest-bid-eighth-death-season?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 May 2024 12:00:09 +0000 Nepal’s Phunjo Lama smashed the record on Thursday for the fastest ascent of Everest by a woman, conquering the world’s highest mountain in 14 hours and 31 minutes. Climbers usually take days to reach the top of the 8,849-metre (29,000-foot) mountain, spending nights on its different camps to rest and acclimatise. But Lama, who is in her thirties, shaved more than 11 hours off the previous best that had stood since 2021. It means she has reclaimed her own world record. “She started [from the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3263820/nepals-phunjo-lama-smashes-womens-record-fastest-ascent-everest-11-hours-inspiration-female-climbers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3263820/nepals-phunjo-lama-smashes-womens-record-fastest-ascent-everest-11-hours-inspiration-female-climbers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 May 2024 10:30:19 +0000 A 54-year-old Nepali climber known as “Everest man” reached the peak of the world’s highest mountain for a record 30th time on Wednesday, three decades after his first summit. Kami Rita Sherpa, who broke his own record after climbing the 8,849m (29,032ft) peak for the 29th time earlier this month, has previously said he was “just working” and did not plan on setting records. “Kami Rita reached the summit this morning. Now he has made a new record with 30 summits of Everest,” Mingma Sherpa of... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3263700/nepals-everest-man-reaches-peak-record-30th-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3263700/nepals-everest-man-reaches-peak-record-30th-time?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 May 2024 15:24:51 +0000 Days before reaching the summit of Mount Everest last May, Nepali mountaineer Tenzi Sherpa captured a video – not showing the striking views of the snow-capped Himalayas, but the vast heaps of garbage left behind by climbers. The footage from Camp 4, located around 8,000 metres above sea level and known as the “death zone” due to its unforgiving conditions, showed discarded tents, oxygen cylinders and utensils frozen in time. “[It’s the] dirtiest camp I have ever seen,” Sherpa wrote on Instagram... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3263153/everest-dirty-trash-strewn-mess-it-too-late-nepal-fix-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3263153/everest-dirty-trash-strewn-mess-it-too-late-nepal-fix-it?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 May 2024 10:00:24 +0000 Nepali climber Kami Rita Sherpa reached the top of Mount Everest for the 29th time on Sunday, breaking his own record for the most summits of the world’s highest mountain. “Kami Rita reached the summit this morning. Now he has made a new record with 29 summits of Everest,” said Mingma Sherpa of Seven Summit Treks, his expedition organiser. A guide for more than two decades, Sherpa, also known as “Everest Man”, first summited the 8,849-metre (29,032-foot) peak in 1994 when working for a... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3262368/nepals-everest-man-notches-29th-summit-worlds-highest-mountain-breaking-own-record?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3262368/nepals-everest-man-notches-29th-summit-worlds-highest-mountain-breaking-own-record?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 May 2024 07:50:57 +0000 At just five years old, Abyan Imtiaz Irkiz has become the youngest Singaporean to reach Mount Everest base camp. Abyan achieved the feat with his father, Zikri Ali, 41, on Monday – two days earlier than they had planned. It took the pair eight days to reach the base camp, which sits at an altitude of 5.36km above sea level. It serves as a home base for mountaineers attempting to climb Mount Everest in Nepal. The father and son duo, who have been documenting their journey on an Instagram account... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3261331/5-year-old-becomes-youngest-singaporean-conquer-everest-base-camp-through-hard-work-and-faith?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3261331/5-year-old-becomes-youngest-singaporean-conquer-everest-base-camp-through-hard-work-and-faith?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 May 2024 08:21:11 +0000 Climbers attempting to scale Mount Everest, the world’s tallest peak, will be ordered to buy poop bags and bring their waste back down with them for proper disposal, according to a new regulation. Mingma Sherpa, the chairman of Pasang Lhamu rural municipality, which covers most of the Everest region, told BBC News that the new rule was introduced in response to unpleasant smells and unseemly sights in the area. The extreme cold of Everest prevents faeces from fully degrading. “Our mountains have... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3251452/mount-everest-climbers-must-now-buy-poop-bags-and-bring-their-waste-down-our-mountains-have-begun?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3251452/mount-everest-climbers-must-now-buy-poop-bags-and-bring-their-waste-down-our-mountains-have-begun?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Feb 2024 16:00:14 +0000 When his blood oxygen level dipped to 37 per cent, Malaysian climber Mohamed Sadik Abdul Kadir knew he was staring death in the face. During the pandemic, Malaysia’s Health Ministry told patients in home quarantine to immediately call 999 if their blood oxygen reading on an oximeter dropped to below 92 per cent. But there was no 999 for Mohamed Sadik to dial because he was 5,800 metres (19,000 feet) above sea level, dealing with temperatures below -10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3240606/malaysian-mountaineer-undeterred-after-near-death-experience-high-himalayas-ill-try-harder-next?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3240606/malaysian-mountaineer-undeterred-after-near-death-experience-high-himalayas-ill-try-harder-next?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Nov 2023 06:32:20 +0000